


The legend of Bic-Kon Pocho and the last petal

by pinjacoolada



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:41:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27232897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinjacoolada/pseuds/pinjacoolada
Summary: Yda and Papalymo have been tasked by the padjali with guarding the Hedgetree in the Black Shroud, yet their objective is unclear due to its outmost secrecy... at the same time, a creature is waking up from a deep slumber, whose fate is intertwined with the forest. The future of the Black Shroud hangs upon its shoulders - but the Ixali would rather see another outcome...





	The legend of Bic-Kon Pocho and the last petal

**Author's Note:**

> When I wrote this fic, it was an art collab with a friend. I had given her the phrase "the last petal" which she made a drawing about. From the drawing, I took inspiration to write something. What I came up with is this fan fic. As both me and my friend play FFXIV, I wanted her to be surprised that my story was a FFXIV story, so I did not tell her that was the theme. So I wrote the story in such a way that it was not obvious from the start that it was a FFXIV fan fiction, but rather showed as the story progressed. I think it turned out pretty good, hope whoever reads this will enjoy it. It works well with "Torn from the heavens" on repeat in the background.

First, there was darkness, and then, there was a heartbeat.

She knew nothing, yet she knew it all. She had not seen the world, yet she knew of the world. Like an instinct, inherited from her precursors. Precursors who once had a mission and soon it was her time to carry out that mission. However, she did not know when that time was to be. She could only wait and try to prepare.

She did not know if she could see, for all she saw was darkness. But slowly she gained a sense of hearing. The sounds of leaves gently brushing against each other in calm breezes, sounds of small animals moving on the ground. Branches creaking lightly, birds chirping and wings fluttering. All these things were things she had never seen before nor heard before, but she knew what it was, knowledge inherited in ways she did not understand. Through the sounds, she could envision and understand her surroundings. She realized she was in a forest. A forest filled with wildlife and peace. A peace she was a part of.

A new sound emerged from far away. It came closer and closer, along with several steps on the ground, until she heard what the sounds were. It was the voices of humanoids, but she could not find out what kind.  
“Here we are, as many before us have been,” the voice of an adult woman spoke out.  
“And this is the time?” this time a voice from a young man.  
“Yes, certainly. As the elementals foretold. Alas, watch, up there,” a third voice spoke, from a young woman.  
“A single pink petal on the Hedgetrees highest branch. As the prophecy foretells, that once every astral era, when the last petal falls from the Hedgetree, we are close to Sir E-Tok, and the threat that befalls it,” the first voice spoke, “now that we have confirmation, let us return and prepare. We are nought the only ones aware of this, and the feather folk will rise to the occasion, to find Bic-Kon Pocho as an offering.”  
The young man spoke, “And it is our duty to prevent that from happening.”  
Bic-Kon Pocho sounded familiar but she could not place it anywhere in her knowledge. The voices faded away along with the sounds of footsteps leaving the area. She knew her mission was important, but apparently not only to her but also to these wood dwellers she had just heard close by. There were several dangers threatening her and she could not protect herself. She could not run. Not in this state. She could only wait.

Several suns passed by and she was still in darkness. She continued to observe the sounds of her surroundings, several times she heard humanoids once again, but at a distance, too far away to distinguish any words. However, she had now gained the sense to feel. Sometimes the darkness felt warm, sometimes the darkness felt colder. Vibrations, wind, leaves falling upon her but not upon her at all, those were things she could feel. As she could not move, not trapped but rather protected, there was not much more to feel from the surrounding world. But she felt her own warmth, her own softness. Her own fragility. But she was safe, that much she was sure of, although she did now know how she was safe. Also, she was now able to figure out where in this forest she was. She was, in fact, up in a tree.

One day she heard steps coming closer, along with two voices.  
“So we’re supposed to protect something here but we aren’t allowed to know what? How are we supposed to do that!” a woman’s voice said in frustration.  
“Oh please calm down, as long as we don’t let any intruders close things will be fine,” a man said reassuringly with a tiny speck of irritation in his voice.  
“But what if intruders dooo come clooose!” the woman said worryingly.  
“Well in that case you have clearly not done your job, have you?” the man snapped back.  
“Oh, you little…! Same would go for you!” she replied, with sounds of her feet repeatedly hitting the leaves on the ground.  
“Such defeat would not befall me, but if we do not know what we are protecting, then the enemy probably does not know either, which would give time for the Wood Wailers to come to the aid. They should anyways be the first line of defence. You should know this so stop worrying! We’ve been in worse situations,” the man said, lecturing the woman.  
“Uggghhh,” the woman grunted, “Fine. If anyone comes here, I’ll kick their ass, so you can probably just take it easy. As you always do.”  
“Hey now, you wouldn’t last a second without someone watching your back!”  
Both of them laughed. The woman then spoke, “But if both of us were to be taken down, then perhaps they would show up. They do tend to do that, don’t they?”  
“Yes yes, that is correct. But for them to even know about this, would mean this is of an even higher magnitude than expected. This is quite an odd job for us, to simply protect something…” he went silent for a bit, “unless, this is… Toto-rak… Yes yes, the dungeon is not very far away indeed, of course...” he mumbled to himself.  
“Whaaat? What are you mumbling about?” the woman said curiously.  
“Nevermind, nevermind… Or perhaps, have you heard of the legend of… No, nevermind, it will just worry you even more.”  
“Now, that if anything makes me worry!” the woman sighed, “but if you’re not worried then I should just ride along. Let’s set up camp.”  
“Yes, let us,” he answered and they started unpacking their gear.

She listened to the two talk and occasionally bicker some more, hearing a new sound, one she identified as the sparks of fire. The two seemed to stay as the bells went by, they did not seem to leave. There was one word she recognized from their conversation. Toto-rak. She did not know why it was familiar or what it truly meant, but she knew it was a danger. A danger she was there to prevent from happening, just like many others before her. The darkness surrounding her went cold, and she fell asleep.

Her rest was not uneasy. Haunted by nightmarish dreams, depicting a tall four-winged feathered goddess unto which she was to be sacrificed by humanoids with beaks and featherless wings with claws, followed by a slumbering evil waking up from its long rest deep down below. An evil that would purge the forests of all life and devour all of mankind, leaving nothing but despair. There was shouting, sounds of steel clashing against steel, and the ground was vibrating. Was this really a dream or was it real? Slowly she began to awaken, realizing the shouts and vibrations were in fact real. She felt the usual comforting warmth from the darkness around her, but today it was not as dark as it used to be, some areas around her seemed to be more light than others. Was this sight? Whats was happening around her? She listened as well as she could, to try and distinguish words from the skirmish.  
“The Wood Wailers can’t hold out much longer! The Ixali are breaking through the last line of defence!” it was the voice from the woman the night before.  
“That’s where you are wrong, Yda! WE are the last line of defence, now keep your focus! Thunder!” the man in Ydas company replied, followed by the sound of lightning striking, a faint “squawk” and the sound of a body falling to the ground.  
“I could have finished that one myself Papalymo! And the Ixali are pretty much here now! We need backup!” Yda said and kicked an enemy in the face, making it unconscious.  
Yda and Papalymo, those were the people protecting her. And Ixali… She recognized the name, yes. It was the humanoids with beaks from her dreams. It was the feather folk, the ones spoken about from the three visitors several suns ago. The three visitors who said their task was to protect her. Were they friends of Yda and Papalymo? Were they successful in protecting her?  
“I don’t know how much longer I can hold them off!” Yda shouted, “Ugh! My knee!” she was hit by an arrow and then collapsed with a thud.  
“Yda! Take this you damnations, Flare!” Papalymo voiced and the sound of flames and explosions emerged followed by several whimpering squawks, “They are too many!”  
Could she do nothing but hear this battle from the darkness surrounding her? Could she not help them? Did they have to hurt or die for her sake? She knew her mission was to preserve life, she was not a messenger of war. But was there nothing she could do?  
Suddenly, a strong voice shouted through the noise, “Assize!!”, it was followed by a magical sound and a light so strong she could see it. This colour, it was green? Green. The colour of plants and the forest. She had not seen it before but she knew that was it. Still, she learned things she did not know she knew, still in this dangerous situation. She heard the footsteps of two… No, three humanoids.  
“Yda! Papalymo!” it was the voice of the adult woman from several bells ago.  
“Elder Seedseer Kan-E Senna!” Papalymo said in surprise and relief, “For you to join the frontlines, what does…? No, what am I saying, Yda is hurt! Please help her!” he said and rushed to Yda’s side.  
“Raya-O-Senna, tend to their wounds! A-Ruhn-Senna, hold the Ixali at bay! I will look out for the last petal!” Kan-E Senna commanded her siblings, who replied with a “Yes!” in unison.  
“Asylum!” Raya-O-Senna rose her staff to the air and a swirling water-like blue barrier surrounded the ground, slowly healing Yda and Papalymos wounds.  
“Assize!” A-Ruhn-Senna directed his staff towards Ixali storming towards them and a blast of green magic shot through the air into the Ixali.  
They were back! The ones tasked with protecting her. They were friends and had not abandoned her. She felt a bit safer although still feeling helpless.  
“Elder Seedseer, I just got a link pearl message! All the Wood Wailers have been defeated! The Gods’ Quiver Bows and bowlord Lewin are being held up by other Ixali forces! We have to hold up on our own until they can arrive!” Raya-O-Senna said with a hint of despair, “The Ixali are coming too strong upon us! Several dozens are charging us from afar!”  
Kan-E-Senna looked sternly towards the Hedgetrees highest branches, and finally, she saw it. The last pink petal still hanging there, moving slightly in the wind, “Any second now…” she said quietly to herself, “A-Ruhn-Senna! With me!” she ran to the edge of the blue barrier towards the Ixali and A-Ruhn-Senna followed her. The both of them rose their staffs, that started to brim with pink magical energy.  
“Afflatus Misery!” both of them shouted and huge pink flowers rose from the ground below the Ixali forces and drained them of their energy, making them losing strength and falling to the ground.  
“That’s what you get for messing with white mages, didn’t expect that huh!” Yda said, laying on the ground getting her strength back.  
“Yda! You are okay!” Papalymo did a little jump of happiness.  
“Of course, can’t die defending a goddamn tree, now can I?  
“That would be very unlike you, yes,” Papalymo nodded, “Speaking of, Elder Seedseer, exactly what are we protecting…? Could it be… that the Legend of Toto-Rak is nigh?”  
Kan-E-Senna breathed heavily, which she now had time for when there was no Ixali close by for the moment.  
“... Yes, I can now reveal to you what your task has been. Once every astral era, the event of Sir E-Tok occurs. It is the awakening of the man-eating beast Toto-Rak,” she said with a serious tone and glanced towards the Hedgetrees top.  
“But isn’t Toto-Rak just a Padjal myth?” Yda asked curiously.  
Kan-E-Senna shook her head, “Unfortunately not. Because it happens so seldom, it is however often twisted into that. But Toto-Rak is very real. And what we have been guarding is the very means to prevent that - the guardian Bic-Kon Pocho,” she pointed her staff towards the treetop.  
“Bic-Kon Pocho?! Isn’t that…” Papalymo could not finish his sentence and was interrupted by Raya-O-Senna.  
“More Ixali incoming! On your guard,” she said but then hesitated, “Wait! They appear to be Fearcallers! They are preparing to fight magic with magic from afar, but they are not within range and just… Waiting.”  
Kan-E-Senna looked into the forest towards the Ixali waiting further away. She thought for a moment and then gave the order, “Raya-O-Senna, A-Ruhn-Senna, move towards their range and defeat them swiftly before they make it here. Bowlord Lewin should hopefully be here soon,” the siblings nodded and made way towards the Ixali.  
“Please, make me accompany them, I am restored enough to join the fray!” Papalymo asked, Kan-E-Senna nodded in favour and he joined the siblings.

Something happened inside the darkness. Something started to energize withing her. What was going on? Was she soon to awaken fully? Who was this Bic-Kon Pocho? Was it… her? Was she the guardian to prevent Sir E-Tok and Toto-Rak? Suddenly, she heard a new sound, making her lose her train of thought. It did not come from below… it came from above!  
Kan-E-Senna heard it too and looked upwards, “No…! I should have foreseen!”  
It was an Ixali airship above the tree, and it dropped down something that quickly fell in front of the tree. It was a crate, and before Kan-E-Senna could react an Ixali Fearcaller sent a strong gust of wind magic upon her, blasting her away into another smaller tree, dropping her staff on the way.  
“Elder Seedseer!” Yda shouted, she tried to get up on her feet, her knee still hurting, she was not fully recovered.  
Papalymo and the others heard the shout and looked back, “No! An ambush!” Papalymo started to make haste back to the Hedgetree but was intercepted by more Ixali troops dropping from the airship.  
“Elder Seedseer!” Raya-O-Senna shouted. All of them were surrounded by both warrior and mage Ixali.  
Kan-E-Senna looked towards the crate, it did not only carry an Ixali but also a huge sack of wind crystals, “No, this can’t be, not now…!”  
Yda looked toward the crate and saw it too, the Fearcaller had started to chant and the crystals rose into the air with a glowing light. There was no time to waste.  
“Second wind!” Yda gathered all the strength she could and was able to rise to her feet, “Fists of wind!”, she focused all her strength to her agility and sprinted forward but passed the Ixali and ran towards Kan-E-Sennas staff lying on the ground, “Dragon Kick!” she kicked the staff with the last of her strength and sent it flying to Kan-E-Senna, who caught it midair.  
But it was too late, as the Ixalis Primal God Garuda had started to take form from the crystals. Kan-E-Senna looked up towards the Hedgetrees highest branch.

And the last pink petal fell from the branch.

It was time. The energy inside her burst forward and made her burst with light. The aetherial field rendering her invisible on one of the branches broke. The darkness cracked before her, making her egg hatch, she let out a loud “Ke-Kweh!” and stretched her long legs and shining wings. She was finally awakened and she understood who she was.

For a moment, it was as if time stood still. Kan-E-Senna and her siblings, Yda, Papalymo and the Ixali all looked toward the chocobo basking in shining light.  
“A pink-gold chocobo…!” Yda said in surprise.  
“It’s the legendary pink-gold chocobo - Bic-Kon Pocho!” Papalymo said in awe, “So many legends today turning out to be true! What a marvel!”  
But the dangers were imminent. Garuda took form and laid her eyes on Bic-Kon Pocho, rising her wings for an attack.  
Kan-E-Senna rose her staff, “Divine Benison!” a gaslike magic shot from her staff and surrounded Bic-Kon Pocho with a strong shield, just in time to repel Garudas mighty wings.  
Bic-Kon Pocho flinched backwards, not prepared for what was happening. She knew what that beast was. It was the one from her dreams. The Primal Garuda. If she was to become an offering to her, then it would all be over for the forest and Sir E-Tok would happen and Toto-Rak would rise. But there was nowhere to escape. Garuda mercilessly launched attack after attack towards the shield surrounding Bic-Kon Pocho, “Is this the end?” she thought, looking around herself for signs of protection or a way to escape certain doom.  
Papalymo and the others were still fending off the Ixali surrounding them and Yda and Kan-E-Senna did not have any strength left, only being able to watch the poor chocobo trapped.  
“How could this happen…!” Kan-E-Senna desperately said, “Where is Bowlord Lewin?! Where are the reinforcements?”  
Garuda blew a final strike to the magical shield and it broke, “Finally, you’re mine! Such a prized offering will add greatly to my strength!” she screeched out.  
Suddenly, a loud “boom” came from the skies and the Ixali airship fell down from the sky and crashed into the woods, leaving a huge cloud of smoke in the sky. Everyone, including Garuda, looked upwards in shook.  
A voice broke through the sky, “You’re not the only ones with an airship!” Cid nan Garlond said fiercely from his airship somewhere behind the smoke.  
“Cid! The Enterprise!” Yda and Papalymo said in relief in unison, despite being apart.  
“And you are certainly not the only ones with a warrior sharp as the wind! Hit em’ with all you got, Warrior of Light!” Cid said.  
The smoke cloud in the sky was pierced with a clean hole as the Warrior of Light came flying through it, donning a dragon-looking armour and a huge spear pointed towards Garuda.  
“No, I will not be defeated!” Garuda shouted and started flying upwards towards the Warrior of Light.  
“Stardiver!” the warrior shouted and brimmed with crimson energy, manifesting purple rings of energy around them, sending them like a shooting star at incredible speed downwards, piercing Garuda in one swift move and a loud bang.  
“Nooooo!” Garudas voice drowned out as she exploded and dissipated into aetherial dust while the Warrior of Light landed on the ground before the Hedgetree.  
Yda laughed, “Hahaha! Always right on time! Almost thought we were done for!”  
Papalymo and the Padjal siblings came rushing towards them, “The Ixali troops fled!” he said.  
Kan-E-Senna got up on her feet and walked up towards everyone gathering in front of the tree, looking up towards Bic-Kon Pocho. The chocobo looked down towards the squad.  
“Ke-kweeh kweh!” she happily chirped, she understood that the danger was now over, and jumped down along the branches and landed before the group.  
“Guardian Bic-Kon Pocho,” Kan-E-Senna said and walked up towards the shining pink bird, and reached out a hand towards the bird. Bic-Kon Pocho brushed her head against it and Kan-E-Senna spoke again.  
“You are now safe and able to fulfil your mission in the Black Shroud. Grant the forest your blessing while we make sure no harm befalls you,” she said and pat the chocobo one last time. Everyone cheered and applauded Bic-Kon Pocho, relieved that the battle was now over.  
“Kweh kweh!” Bic-Kon Pocho made a jump and fluttered her wings. She knew what to do now and quickly set off, there was no time to lose and she had a lot to do. From groves to meadows, from cliffs to rivers, she visited all the places in the Black Shroud. Everywhere she left her bright pink gold feathers, which melded with nature and gave it an astral era long protection from the event of Sir E-Tok and rise of Toto-Rak. All while being protected by the Order of the Twinadder, the Scions of the seventh dawn and the Warrior of Light themselves.

What happened to Bic-Kon Pocho after her task was fulfilled? When every nook and cranny had been blessed with her feathers, which took several moons, she returned to the Hedgetree. A tiring endeavour, her plumage thin, she laid down in the branches of the Hedgetree. What awaited her now, she did not know. But she was at peace and had done what her precursors had once done - helping preserve life in the Black Shroud for many years to come. She closed her eyes and thought of the many allies that had helped her, and just like her egg had one day manifested out of thin air, she vanished into a puff of pink aether, drifting off in the wind. But this was not the end for her, no, it was just the beginning. She could now join all the other pink-gold aetherial chocobos, who invisibly wandered the Black Shroud and exploring the world. She had made it out of the darkness and into the light and transcended above and become one with nature. She was at home.  
THE END.


End file.
